South Carolina lawmakers on Wednesday quashed a move to oust Gov. Mark Sanford over his summertime tryst and his use of state aircraft, saying his embarrassing conduct was not serious enough to merit impeachment. Lawmakers were still considering whether to recommend an official reprimand. Six of the seven panel members said they believed the events surrounding Sanford's extramarital affair involving an Argentine woman did not rise to a high enough level to warrant his removal from office prior to the end of his second and final term in January 2011. "We can't impeach for hypocrisy. We can't impeach for arrogance. We can't impeach an officeholder for his lack of leadership skills," said Rep. James Harrison, the Columbia Republican who headed the panel.

Sanford's impeachment would have presented the South Carolina Republican Party with a vexing public relations issue. Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer, who called for the resignation of the governor, has been outed as gay.

Well, I see that the South Carolina State Legislature Republicans feel the need to circle the wagons rather than do the ethical thing and oust Sanford from office. However, that would require them to admit they would have their first proven gay governor in state history. Boy, I thought us in Alabama had it bad, but the citizens in South Carolina have it worse.

I think every South Carolina state employee should not come to work for a week with no explanation. They should then file a class action lawsuit when they're fired. Afterall if the Governor, who's basically the CEO of the state can do it, why not any other state worker?

This is such typical Bible Belt behavior. The same legislators who find it so easy to forgive their AWOL adulterer governor will be beating the homophobic family values drums come re-election time and their hypocritical constinuents will lap it up like cream.

I ashamed to say that I'm originally from Charleston. Down there, blacks don't vote and white are so ass backwards that this doesn't surprise me at all. Not enough people there will speak out against this. They just let things happen. However, this is not all bad news. People like this governor and Sarah Palin, continue to expose the republican party for what it really is. Come election time, voters (just like in '08) won't forget this and they will lose.